In the solution method, raw material Si is melted in a graphite crucible to form a Si solution, C is dissolved out from the graphite crucible into the Si solution to form a Si—C solution which is then warmed and held, and a seed crystal is put into contact with the Si—C solution, thereby growing a SiC single crystal.
In the solution method, a temperature gradient in which the temperature decreases from the inside of the Si—C solution toward the solution surface and from the lower part to the upper part must be maintained in the vicinity of the interface (growth interface) between the Si—C solution and the SiC single crystal during the SiC single crystal growth.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a method where a Si single crystal grown by the Czochralski method is cooled using a cooling mechanism disposed around the Si single crystal.